Line marker



P. B. KAMP LINE MARKER Filed May 20, 1949 Paul Kemp Patented Oct- 3, 1950 ..,UNI:TED STATES PATENT ounce LINE MARKER Paul-B;- Kamp,- Wolf Point, Mont, assignor to.

Strate-LineCompany, WillistornN; Dak, a cor poration ofiNorthDakota A'ppIicatiOn-MayZO, 1949,.Serial No; 94,320

3,=Glaims. 1

This invention relates to a tool the primary object of which is to permit one to make a straight chalk line mark on various materials, such as linoleum, where a separation or cut is to be made.

An important object of this invention is to provide a tool which is relatively simple in design and construction, cheap to manufacture in large quantities, and easy to manipulate to obtain an accurate and straight chalk line so that material may be quickly and accurately cut into desired lengths without unnecessary wastage of material.

A further object of this invention is to provide a line marker of the character described including a graduated measuring scale to determine the exact position where the chalk line should be applied to the material.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a line marker comprising an elongated base member having a reference notch intermediate its ends and a measuring scale across its length, a flexible V-shaped member terminally secured adjacent the ends of said base member, an index on the apex of said V-shaped member, a chalk line, and means for securing one end of said chalk line to said base member adjacent said notch.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially in the plane of section line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially in the plane of section line 33 of Figure 1.

Specific reference is now made to the drawings. In the several views in the accompanying drawings and in the following specification reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout.

Indicated generally at H] is a base member, preferably fabricated of rigid metal, and generally U-shaped as shown in the drawings. The base member is elongated and includes a lower leg [2 connected by a web portion M to an upper leg l6. Both legs are relatively flat, and the work to be marked, such as a piece of linoleum I8 is adapted to be received in the base member between the legs I2 and Hi, the leg l2 underlying and the leg I6 overlying the linoleum as shown clearly in Figure 1. It will be understood at this ppintthati thev web. portion 4 may, be} of any desired length to accommodate work pieces of different thicknesses.

Intermediate the ends of the upper leg IS, a reference or V-notch 20 is provided and extending across the length of the upper leg I6 is a graduated measuring scale 22 for determining exactly where a chalk line is to be applied to the work piece l8.

A resilient, relatively flat V-shaped member 24 is provided, preferably fabricated of flexible steel, which is terminally secured by riveting or welding as at 26 to the ends of the upper leg l6 of the base member Ill. The apex 28 of the V-shaped member 24 includes a protuberance 30 serving as an index as will be described hereinafter.

Secured as by welding or riveting to the underside of the lower leg l2'is an elongated, substantially u-shaped bracket 32, the shorter leg 34 of which is provided with an aperture 36 for receiving the eye 38 at one end of a chalk line 40. It will be noted that the bracket 32 is secured to the base member It! in alignment with the reference notch 20.

In practical operation, the base member In is positioned on the work piece or linoleum l8 as shown clearly in Figure l and the chalk line 40 is secured to the bracket 32 at one of its ends. The chalk line is then extended across the base member, intersecting the reference notch 20 and is then positioned beneath the apex 28 where it is held in position with reference to the index 30 by one of the hands 42. The chalk line 40 is extended in a taut position across the tool and the base member is moved to the position desired for marking as determined by the measuring scale 22 on the base member. Thereafter, the chalk line 40 is snapped with the fingers of the other hand 44 to deposit a chalk mark across the work piece l8 at the desired position. The flexibility of the V-shaped member 24 permits the latter to lie relatively fiat against the work piece while the entire tool is retained in a more Or less fixed adjusted position on the work piece by means of the U-shaped base member II].

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however,. that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same chalk line to said base member adjacent said notch, said base member being a flat U-shaped bar having a relatively wide leg adapted to underlie a piece of work to be marked and a relatively narrow leg adapted to overlie a piece of work, said narrow leg including said notch and said measuring scale.

r 2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said one end of the chalk line includes an eye and said means includes a laterally extending apertured bracket carried by said base member at said notch for receiving said eye.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said V-shaped member is substantially fiat.

PAUL B. KAMP.

REFERENCES CITED? The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 106,741 Taylor Aug. 23, 1870 134,919 Moore Jan. 14, 1873 375,590 Wilson Dec. 27, 1887 1,094,286 Winstead Apr. 21, 1914 1,139,011 Barnard May 11, 1915 1,193,665 Coburn Aug. 8, 1916 1,891,786 Smith Dec. 20, 1932 

